by Lyonel Perabo | May 2, 2017 | BIVROST Stories
According to ancient Norse tales, the first meeting between Norwegians and Scots took place in the Viking-Age, at the time when the legendary king Harald hårfagre (“fairhair”) sent a fleet against North-Sea pirates. Back then, in the late 9th-century, numerous Vikings...
by Lyonel Perabo | Feb 8, 2017 | BIVROST Stories
While both Viking Age and 21st century Norwegians loved nothing more than a good drink, public and official attitudes towards the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages were not always so relaxed. Indeed, in the 19th and early 20th century the country was...
by Lyonel Perabo | Feb 8, 2017 | BIVROST Stories
Finally in 1919, following decades of political and cultural battles that bitterly split the country, the Norwegian people voted in majority to uphold a temporary parliament resolution passed in 1916 banning the production and sale of alcohol. The long process of...
by Lyonel Perabo | Mar 30, 2016 | BIVROST Stories
While she is little-known outside Scandinavia today, Queen Gunnhildr from Arctic Norway was, during her reign in the Viking Age, one of Europe’s most powerful woman, almost single-handedly exemplifying the image of the strong-willed Viking woman. According to...
by Lyonel Perabo | Jan 14, 2016 | BIVROST Stories
Most everyone knows that Alcohol has been part of human culture and society for a very, very long time. But when was it exactly that humans drank the first drop of alcohol? Was alcohol invented? Discovered? And how much did our ancient longing for the drink actually...